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Which one is correct in a sentence?

  • He don't
  • He doesn't

I guess "he doesn't" should be correct because he is third person singular but I've seen some people using do with he. Which one is correct?

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1 Answer

up vote 15 down vote accepted

He doesn't is correct, because it is the contraction of He does not.
He don't is incorrect, because it it the contraction of He do not.

Subject-Verb agreement requires that he goes with does.

He don't, however, is slang and certainly used in many places, but you would never see it in professional writing, because of Subject-Verb agreement.

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4  
You would never see it today in professional writing. In the 1880's educated people said "he don't" (they didn't write it much, because they didn't write contractions much. But you'll find it in the plays of W S Gilbert, given to upper-class characters). It is a matter of fashion, and the argument with which this answer begins is no more than a rationalisation. – Colin Fine Jun 6 '11 at 11:40

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